I’m very excited to have floral designer and stylist Kiana Underwood of bay area-based tulipina stopping in today to give you a floral arranging tutorial. Kiana creates beautiful event and wedding arrangements that are creative and totally unexpected. she’s going to share an idea for creating an arrangement in a vessel that may be sitting around your home, looking lonesome and not living up to its full potential — today the lovely shaped chemex coffee maker — an easy step-by-step (AND REALLY PRETTY!) photographic demonstration. thanks, Kiana!

Like many mid-century designs, the Chemex coffee maker seems to be making a comeback. I have seen them all over the place lately. I have had my eye on the Chemex as a floral vessel for some time, so I finally decided to buy one and fill it with flowers. As you might guess, I love the way that it turned out!

1. Begin with the Pieris on one side of the vessel. I wanted to concentrate their draping quality in one area.

2. Add the purple ornamental pepper. I have used two kinds in this arrangement, and I think that the purplish leaves of this pepper are absolutely lovely. 3. Add the white ranunculus to create a balance between the different heights of the Pieris and the ornamental pepper.

4. Add the Amaranthus on the opposite side of the vase from the Pieris.

5. Continue with the huckleberry – it lends a lovely texture to the arrangement.

6. Add just a couple small branches of smoke as a complementary shade of maroon. 7. Add the two purple artichokes in the front of the vase where they can be a focal point of the arrangement, as well as your peonies. It is tough to get peonies in California in autumn – they have to be imported from the Southern Hemisphere (usually Chile or New Zealand).

8. Now add the maroon ranunculus for some height. The beauty of ranunculus is in the bend of their stems and the delicate nature of their petals. You can really add a graceful touch to your arrangement by carefully placing them within the vessel. 9. Finally add the yellow ornamental peppers for a bright pop of color!

I love Kiana’s designs and her DIY blog! She is such an amazing designer. To see a DIY of hers here on sfgirlbybay is truly awesome. The use of the ornamental peppers adds so much color and I adore the ranunculus.

this arrangement is fantastic!! I would never have thought to use artichokes and peppers in a floral arrangement! Do you know where she gets her beautiful plants? I have a difficult time finding any quality plants… I guess I will have to start a greenhouse?